Joan Rivers narrowly avoided angry scenes at an awards ceremony in New York City on Monday (22Apr13) when union members protesting against her Fashion Police show reportedly gatecrashed the event.

Members of the Writers Guild of America have backed a strike by workers on the funnywoman's hit Tv series who claim they are owed wages and overtime payments, and a number of protesters targeted the Matrix Awards ceremony which Rivers was hosting.

Campaigners managed to get into the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel venue in Manhattan to hand out flyers before they were removed by security guards, according to the New York Post's gossip column Page Six.

Rivers went on to host the ceremony, which honours women in media, without further incident.

A representative for Rivers insists the star "supports the Fashion Police writers, and wants a fair agreement for them".